This application is based upon and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 11-320186, filed Nov. 10, 1999, the contents being incorporated therein by reference, and is a continuation of PCT/JP00/07972, filed Nov. 10, 2000.
The present invention relates to a front end panel to which front end parts of a vehicle, including at least a radiator, which are arranged on the front end of an engine compartment (in a vehicle), are incorporated.
A control unit, for controlling electric equipment such as an electric fan used for a radiator and a headlight, is usually arranged in an engine compartment. Therefore, the control unit is exposed to air at a high temperatures which has passed through the radiator. Accordingly, it is difficult to cool the control unit sufficiently. In order to solve the above problems, it is common to arrange, as a countermeasure, that the size of a radiating section of the control unit is increased or the profile of the control unit is made complicated.
However, when the above countermeasure is taken, since the size of the radiating section of the control unit is increased or the profile of the control unit is made complicated, it becomes difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost of the control unit.
The present invention is intended to solve the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to reduce the manufacturing cost of the control unit.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a front end panel onto which vehicle front end parts (123), including at least a radiator (100), which are arranged on the vehicle front end side, are incorporated, comprising: an air path (710) for providing an air flow to the rear end side of the vehicle while the air makes a detour round the radiator.(100), the air path being arranged in a panel body section (450) to which the vehicle front end parts (123) are attached; and a unit attaching section (412) to which a control unit (800) for controlling electric equipment is attached, the unit attaching section (412) being arranged in the panel body section (450), wherein the control unit (800) is cooled by the air flowing in the air path (710).
Due to the foregoing, the control unit (800) can be cooled by the air, the temperature of which is lower than the air at a high temperature which has passed through the radiator (100). Therefore, the cooling effect (cooling capacity) can be enhanced. Accordingly, the structure of the control unit (800) can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the control unit (800) can be reduced.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a front end panel in which the panel body section (450) is made of resin, the control unit (800) is composed of a mounting board (820) for mounting electronic parts (810), a casing (860) for accommodating the mounting board (820) and a radiating section (830) made of metal for radiating heat generated in a casing (860), and the radiating section (830) comes into contact with a portion of the panel body (450) so that a labyrinth structure (850) is formed and the air path (710) side of the casing (860) is closed.
Due to the foregoing, it is possible to prevent water such as rain water, which has entered into the air path (710), from proceeding into the casing (860). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mounting board (820) from being covered with water.
The present invention will be more fully explained in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.